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A small living room may be limited by its size, but designed with thoughtfulness and few tricks, you can make the space feel larger than it is while maintaining a cozy feel. Keeping a small living room clutter free is a matter of designating spaces for items, keeping them in their proper places and a little bit of upkeep.

Let There Be Light

Create a brighter space in your small living room via lighting. Both natural and artificial lighting can be employed to achieve the desired effect. Allow natural lighting to come in through the windows to brighten the space. Don't keep them covered. Employing sheer or semi-sheer drapery panels is one good solution to allowing natural light in. Recessed lighting can add brightness to a room without adding clutter to the ceiling.

Everything Goes Up

Design your living room to keep the eye drawn upward. This means employing the use of vertical lines wherever possible. Bookshelves should have a vertical hierarchy. Floor-to-ceiling shelving not only holds more, it also maintains the up and down sight line you want to maintain. Think about small details like wood grains, which should also be vertical as well. If you add details such as base molding, consider a higher height of 6 inches and a thinner thickness of 1/2 inch.

Use Color to Change Create Ambiance

Keep the color palette of your living room light to open up the space. Employing light colors on ceilings and walls will achieve the desired effect of giving it a bigger feel. Don't go for dark colors throughout a large area of the room as it will make the space feel too enclosed. If you want to create a cozy feel in a nook or part of the room, darker colors can work to create a feeling of intimacy. Remember that warmer colors give the feeling of a space coming towards the viewer. Cooler colors give the feeling of going away from the viewer. White works, but you can consider other light hues, such as pale shades of blue, green and yellow.

Keep It Simple

Keep the furniture pieces and floors simple to keep it visually clutter-free. Tables, chairs and other furnishings atop slim, elevated legs will help open up a space. Avoid heavy furniture pieces with skirts that would block the perception of openness in the room. Any decorative pieces should be incorporated sparingly. Add artwork on the walls, but make sure not to overdo it. A cohesive feel throughout the room rather than an eclectic mix of decor will keep the room looking cohesive and free of clutter.

Organize It All

Create storage spaces for everything that goes into the living room. Baskets can hold magazines to be read. A wall lined with a floor to ceiling bookshelf with some cabinets can keep all your books and other items in one place. Storage boxes can help organize small, loose items that would otherwise add to a busy appearance in a small living room. Some cabinet storage will keep out of sight items organized and can be used for everything from media to mail.

Make It a Point to Maintain

Keep clutter out of the living room by getting rid of anything you don't need on a regular basis. Spend about 15 minutes a day picking up and getting rid of items you don't use rather than saving the task for a weekend when you feel overwhelmed. Keep the mindset of less is more. Don't purchase that extra painting to go on the wall that you just don't have the space for. Don't get the extra table lamp when lighting is already sufficient or keep last year's magazine issues when you no longer read them.

About the Author

C.E. Chan has been a writer since 2003, contributing to magazines, online publications and education organizations. Her work has appeared in "Popular Dogs," "Dog World" and "The Architect's Newspaper," among other outlets. With a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Southern California, Chan worked in the architectural field for several years before becoming a writer.

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Chan, C.E.. "How to Make a Small Living Room Look Cozy & Not Cluttered." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/make-small-living-room-look-cozy-not-cluttered-52336.html. Accessed 24 May 2019.

Chan, C.E.. (n.d.). How to Make a Small Living Room Look Cozy & Not Cluttered. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/make-small-living-room-look-cozy-not-cluttered-52336.html

Chan, C.E.. "How to Make a Small Living Room Look Cozy & Not Cluttered" accessed May 24, 2019. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/make-small-living-room-look-cozy-not-cluttered-52336.html

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